Vinicius was a heavy favourite for the award thanks to his stellar season with Real Madrid, achieving a La Liga and Champions League double and cementing Madrid's European legacy as the one and only 15 time Champions League winners.
Football's biggest awards night began with the Kopa trophy, presented to the best performing under 21 player of the year. This award was comfortably won by Spain and Barcelona's starlet Lamine Yamal. The Spaniard won the young player of the tournament for the Euros with four goal contributions, the most in an international tournament by a teenager since the legendary Pelé. As well as a stellar season with Barcelona, pundits had no trouble in predicting Yamal to win, clear of all his other competitors.
The awards ceremony then moved on with the Gerd Muller trophy. This trophy goes to the attacker with the most goals in a calendar year with notable winners of the trophy being Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland since its inaugural appearance in 2022. Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Bayern's Harry Kane shared the award this year, with both players amassing 52 goals in the 2023/24 season. However, only Kane was present to claim the trophy following Real Madrid's boycott of the ceremony.
After Kane's speech and Mbappe's absence, the Yashin trophy, named for iconic Ballon D'or-winning goalkeeper Lev Yashin and presented to the best goalkeeper of the year. This trophy went to Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez who after his Copa America win and solid season in the Premier League, where he played a part in taking Aston Villa back into the Champions League for the first time in over 20 years.
Coach of the year awards were then presented for both men's and women's coaches. The men's award was won by Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid, for his success in Europe and domestically, being the mastermind behind Madrid's double and extending their European pedigree. USA women's manager Emma Hayes took home the women's award in recognition of her work at former club Chelsea. Hayes said an emotional goodbye to the dynasty that she created in her 12-year tenancy in West London, which saw her amass 17 trophies, including 5 consecutive WSL titles.
Then came the Ballon D'or trophies. Football's highest individual accolades were claimed by Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati and Manchester City's Rodri. Both midfield maestros faced tough competition, with Caroline Graham Hansen on Bonmati's tail and Vinicius Junior suffering heartbreak in the men's award. Hansen and Bonmati both found huge success with Barcelona Femeni, but the journalist vote saw Bonmati make history and win back-to-back women's Ballon D'or's. Rodri, meanwhile, played a vital part of Manchester City's 4th league title in a row before being crowned Euros Player Of The Tournament. The midfielder ends Spain's 64-year wait for a Ballon D'or winner, having not seen a winning player since Luis Suarez (not that one) in 1960.
